Bystanders save woman who fell off B.C. dock

Bystanders became heroes last week as they rushed to save the life of a woman who had fallen off a Ucluelet dock.

The woman, a West Coast resident, fell into the ocean while attempting to board a canoe at Ucluelet’s 52 Steps Dock on Nov. 1 around 5 p.m. and the man she was with was unable to pull her back onto the dock by himself, according to Sgt. Steve Mancini of the Ucluelet RCMP.

“When you mix alcohol and docks, or any sort of water activity, it’s a recipe for disaster. We strongly encourage people not to do that,” he said. “We don’t want to see anybody get hurt because of a mistake.”

Mancini noted a woman was found deceased in the waters around Ucluelet’s Whiskey Dock on Oct. 19 and said police are urging residents and visitors to be safe and wear life-jackets.

“When you’re on the docks, life-jackets are advised, whether you’re a child or an adult,” he said. “This time of year the water is cold. This was a situation where we were fortunate enough to be able to have a positive result at the end, but it’s a reminder that we need to be safe on docks and properly equipped when we’re on them.”